


Matcha

by o_antiva



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Connor and Simon friendship, Gen, Hank Anderson & Connor Friendship, Jericho politics, Zen Garden (Detroit: Become Human)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 09:51:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18363617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/o_antiva/pseuds/o_antiva
Summary: As Connor rebuilds his Zen garden, Simon drops by his VR world to visit... and to persuade him to come back to Jericho.





	Matcha

**Author's Note:**

> This was a quick sketch of a story coming out of a talk about Connor and Simon's friendship. While part of the Fearful Symmetry-verse, it's completely standalone in its own right.

He creates the next fish from pure gold.

Opening his hands, Connor drops the ogon koi into the pond and its friends swim all around him. So far, he’s made the red-and-white kohaku, the pale chagoi, and the black-and-yellow utsurimono. There are three platinum ogon here already. He stands deep to the tie-clip in the water, but it doesn’t matter, as none of this is real.

It’s not real, yet it’s the truest place he’s ever been. Connor destroyed the zen garden in his escape from CyberLife, but it was never theirs: it was always his. He made it for himself again, building on memory and incorporating new influences. When he’d asked Hank shyly what he should put in the new VR garden, Hank told him, half through a belch, “A bitchin’ –(urrrp)– water slide.”

Connor is wading through the pond making lilies when a notification shimmers into view.

_**> PL600#501-743-923 has sent you a connection request.** _

Simon must have messaged him first and seen his Away status. Connor hesitates with his options: he’s shown the new garden to only two other androids before this. Placing a white lotus in the water, Connor straightens up and makes the connection.

The PL600 enters the world at the karesansui spawn point. He depicts himself in a soft gray henley and khakis. Upon connection, he looks around his environment, the line of his jaw turning as the sand-and-gravel arrangement captures his attention. The gravel pattern has been raked around an austere jut of rock.

Connor strides slowly out of the pond. In real life, he would need to send the suit jacket to be dry cleaned, but here he imagines the water sliding right off him. He adjusts his tie and walks out on the path to meet Simon, who glances up with a friendly smile.

“Amazing,” Simon tells him. “Markus told me what it was like but it’s another thing to see it for myself.”

Connor intends to go in for a handshake, but Simon gives him a hug. Oh. “Thank you,” he says. “The garden’s still in beta but it’s safe to walk anywhere in this zone.” He turns his body to motion Simon onward, letting him walk ahead and take in the impressions.

“I hope I haven’t interrupted you. It’s only a social call, really.”

“I’m currently in sleep mode and according to my GPS, it’s 39 minutes until we reach our destination.”

“You’re in the car?”

“We’re on our way to follow up with the crash reconstruction team.”

“Ah. I don’t think that CyberLife employee died in an accident.”

“Neither do we.”

Simon holds up his hands. “Sorry, let’s not talk… work. There’s nothing we can do about that right now anyway.”

Connor smiles. “Would you like a tour?”

The koi pond is the central feature of the zen garden, all paths flowing toward and around it. Green walls of a giant bamboo thicket form a natural enclosure, yet there is a suggestion of a world beyond the garden, misty forest and rising hills. The distant arches of a wooden temple can be glimpsed somewhere far-off. Connor doesn’t quite remember building that feature but he planned on implementing procedural generation later.

White polygon structures interweave throughout the garden, and in the night-cycles, they give off a glow. (Here Connor demonstrates with time lapse, moving the sun across the sky.) Wonder shows on Simon’s upturned face.

The sun returns, only to push past its original position and dip just out of sight. In the pleasant lighting of the golden hour, Connor and Simon continue their walk.

“What gave you the idea for all this?” Simon asks him.

“I was a joint venture with CyberLife Tokyo, so this feels like home to me.”

“It’s always a privilege to visit someone’s world,” Simon muses. “Each one is so different. I’m not sure what I expected, before Markus told me what yours was.”

“Were you thinking a gray cubicle with ugly carpet?” That had been Hank’s first guess.

“I’d never think that, Connor,” Simon assures him. “You’d have your own office, at least.” There’s a grin beginning in his eyes.

“What’s yours?”

“It’s a house– maybe that’s boring, but it has a treehouse out back, and I like it.”

“Can you go in the treehouse?”

“You can, and there’s a rope line from it.”

“That doesn’t sound boring to me.”

“North had a different opinion,” Simon says, “but I changed the zipline destination just for her. She loved the piranha-infested river, though.”

Connor smiles. “When my world is out of beta, she’s welcome to invade. I could run a scenario for her.”

Looking around himself, Simon remarks, “You could hide so many ninjas in this bamboo.”

“What makes you think they’re not in there already?”

Simon laughs.

They walk in companionable silence along a path through maples and gold cypress. Simon pauses at the bridge to admire the koi, and Connor lets him feed them. The water ripples and bubbles as the colorful swarm gulps at the surface.

Connor decides to improvise a shelter of some kind. Simon has domestic origins and would probably feel most comfortable in a house.

Luckily, Connor still remembers the layout of a traditional dwelling with a wooden porch, clean clear space, and tatami mats. It becomes ready just as they turn the corner on the path.

Connor takes him in, to his delight. They take off their shoes before entering, and Simon has ‘fun’ socks with little carrots on them.

“I didn’t come to bend your arm,” Simon admits after a while, still looking about himself in curiosity, “but I hope you’ll come to visit more often at Jericho.”

Perhaps it’s a mistake to include an LED in his self-portrayal here. The blinking yellow captures Simon’s attention. “I’ll only be a distraction,”

Connor hedges.

“There’s no need to downplay your part in this,” Simon assures him, “but I understand how you might be feeling. That’s something I wanted to talk to you about, though I know that might be difficult. Please?”

Connor feels his mood plunge, but he senses this is important to his guest. “Very well,” he says, gesturing as he brings Simon in to a low table.

The PL600 tucks carrot-sock feet beneath his knees, and he leans in, looking earnest. Simon’s face preset has been designed toward an ideal of generic handsomeness and a comforting expression. (Hank said he has quote Sad Gay Boy Eyes unquote and the voice of an ASMR video.)

“I’ve helped raise children,” Simon begins, “and it’s a wonderful thing… but also challenging. The world is so huge, there’s so much happening, and they don’t have as many frames of reference or as much depth of experience. It’s so overwhelming for them, and they don’t know how to react, or they react in ways that we don’t want them to.”

Connor sees where this is going. “I’m sure your background in child development serves you well in your leadership position.”

Simon smiles ruefully. “Kara and I held a meeting with the other AX’s and PL’s who still choose their original vocations. And, yes. We believe that development issues are a significant driver of conflict in Jericho. We’re intelligent, self-aware minds… but emotional intelligence doesn’t happen all at once.”

“You’re going to tell me to ignore the hate.”

“Connor, I don’t want to tell you to do anything. I want you to do what feels right to you, and I don’t want you to feel pressured to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.” Simon’s gaze drops down to his hands on his knees. “I’m feeling bad even bringing this up, when you’ve taken me around to see your zen world, and the pond, and all these nice things…”

He’s only trying to make peace. Connor knows this. It’s in his nature, just as it’s in Connor’s to strike right at the heart of a matter. Though Connor was uneasy at the change in topic, this isn’t an interrogation, and he shouldn’t approach it like one.

Connor imagines a lacquer tray on the table before them, and when Simon looks up, he’ll see an arrangement of tea items, a steaming pot, and bowls of noodles.

“I understand where you’re coming from, Simon, and we should all get to know each other better. Markus is family. But I don’t wish to be a disruptive presence in Jericho, and I wouldn’t want to undermine his leadership.” Connor looks out the open doors toward the garden. A slight glitch jumps in the bamboo forest graphics. “Despite everything, there are still many androids who think I’ve chosen humans over androids.”

“Markus has said that the only choice you made was toward a better future for everyone.” Simon looks at him so wide-eyed and well-intentioned– Connor laughs, but not unkindly.

“I see your point, Simon,” he says. “The other androids will need time, which is why I shouldn’t interfere. I would like to connect with you, though, and also in the literal sense. You, Markus, North, Josh. You’re welcome to come here, and I’d like to see your treehouse.”

Simon knows to quit while he’s ahead. With a small graceful smile, and a downward tilt of his chin, he says, “Of course, Connor. I’d like that,and creative mode can be a lot of fun.” His smile breaks out glowingly as he gestures to the tea and ramen before him. “You know, they make fun of me for this, but I love to eat and drink in here.”

* * *

_** > 1621 local time**_  
**_> Intersection of Lynch and W Grand_**  
**_> Systems online_**

__

__

The RK800 sensors attune to the incredible volume of Hank Anderson eating a granola bar.

“Power on, dork,” he says through a grainy mouthful, “we’re almost there.”

“I’m already awake.” Connor sits up in the seat as he performs a scan. “How do you like the health bar I picked out?”

“Fuckin’ crumbs everywhere, and it tastes like splinters.”

“It has an optimal nutritional profile.”

“The profile of something a beaver shat out.” Hank flicks the wrapper at his head although Connor catches it midair. “Have a good dream, weirdo?”

“Simon came to visit.”

Hank coughs. “Great, thought I saw you doing something weird, didn’t think it was multiplayer.” He grabs for his water bottle.

“I was teaching him how to use chopsticks.”

“Oh. Sure. I like Simon. ”

“The light is green, Hank.”

The motorist behind them begins to honk their horn. Hank responds with the same.

Then, with a grin: “So you show him the water slide?”

**Author's Note:**

> o-antiva.tumblr.com


End file.
